FOUNTAIN VALLEY : Anti-Semitic Flyers Disrupt High School

Police are investigating the distribution of flyers this week at Fountain Valley High School which claim that the American Jewish Committee supports racism.

The 400 to 500 flyers claimed that the committee promotes racism toward blacks and Asians, using derogatory descriptions of these minority groups, said Principal Gary Ernst.

“I was so disgusted with it, in fact, I’ve thrown them away,” Ernst said.

Lt. Bob Mosley said police have also increased patrols around Congregation B’nai Tzedek, the one synagogue in the city, to avert any trouble that might be directed there, he said.

“We’re taking a very aggressive approach to let everyone know that this will not be tolerated in our city,” Mosley said.

Police confiscated 50 of the flyers, but have made no arrests. Mosley said the people responsible for distributing them may be charged under a new section of the hate crimes statutes.

Several students were disturbed by the flyers, which were discovered as they opened their lockers Monday morning, and counseled by teachers and administrators about the effects of racism. Ernst said he enlisted the help of his staff to rid the school of the half-sheet flyers by 8 a.m. Monday.

The flyers are similar to flyers distributed last year at a supermarket in Fountain Valley and at other schools, said Doris Goldman, director of the Orange County chapter of the American Jewish Committee.

Ernst, who was the principal at Huntington Beach High School for the past four years, said the flyers appeared more frequently, about twice a year, at that high school.

“We feel that it’s a connection to (the same) hate group,” Ernst said. “It’s a very bigoted group of people. They would try to cause fights with minority students and just stir things up and watch what happens.”

Mosley said his department has not confirmed any connection between the incidents.